


The Great Bridge

by Jillagain



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: F/M, Hair touching, dad issues, dialogue heavy????, kill every last one of them!, no beta we die like men, small moments
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-07
Updated: 2019-09-07
Packaged: 2020-10-11 15:48:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,458
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20548682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jillagain/pseuds/Jillagain
Summary: Felix never wanted to be the Shield of Faerghus. But acting as the Professor's shield...that is another thing entirely.A rewrite of the cutscene before The Blue Lions take the Great Bridge of Myrrdin.Mid-to-late game spoilers for the Blue Lions route





	The Great Bridge

He hated to say he told everyone so, that the boar prince had crafted his illusion well enough even Felix had a hard time figuring which of the faces he wore was truth. But Felix had told them so. The professor has been charged with reining in the monster but even she seems to be struggling.

“It matters not. I will kill them all, whether they are one or one hundred.”

There it is. Felix sees it from across the stone bridge the small floundering of the professor whose quiet voice gently pleaded with the boar prince. She’s always had a soft spot for the princeling, Felix knew that. Goddess everyone in the Blue Lions knew that and accepted that it was Dimitri's gentle coaxing that brought her to life. A prince bringing a doll to life, it was so sickening that he could have sworn theirs was a tale straight out of ashes or Ingrid’s books. 

He didn’t catch the professors reply, too busy inspecting the different blades he’s been tasked with before the coming battle to take the Great Bridge Myrrdin. But whatever she says it’s enough to summon another fit.

“Would you feel nothing? Do nothing?” The myriad of activity surrounding Felix comes to a halt as Dimitri turns his rage towards the professor who from this distance seems smaller than usual. Which is ridiculous because she’s always been small but now her coat hangs loosely as if tailored for another body.

Tiny. Insignificant. Unable to push back against the ongoing assault that purposely aims at the cracks in her well-maintained armor. Byleth’s father. The late captain of the knights of Seiros, Jeralt Eisner.

It’s a cheap blow. Though five years have passed for the world and allowed them to properly mourn the incident is still fresh for Byleth. Still raw. Looking up from his work he remembers the piercing raining soaking him and the others through. Annette’s lips had gone blue and Mercedes hid under a drenched shawl. Almost as if the Goddess herself wished to preserve Byleth’s dignity by masking her weakness. 

“Five years ago...Did you not deem the woman who killed Jeralt to be unforgivable? I am most certain that you did. You couldn’t let her get away with her crime, so you took up your sword in pursuit-” 

“You’re wrong!” Byleth wretches herself from Dimitri’s inhuman like grasp, stumbling backwards from the man who had easily lifted her off the ground. A threatening reminder of how easily she could break.

“I think not. We’re the same, you and I.” Byleth feels the strains of her hair sticking up on the back of her neck. How her breathing stutters and stumbles. She is afraid. For the first time she can no longer see the prince she’d once known instead just an animal unchained. 

Like in training or on the battlefield Felix moves on instinct, handing over the blades to a squire belonging to house Fraldarius. He was the only one who moved, the hundreds of soldiers, black smiths and merchants alike stood frozen in place too afraid to move. Previous incidents have taught them that the possessed prince needs little reason to turn his ire. Cowering to save their own skin. It wasn’t knightly or courageous, but Felix didn’t blame them. 

His steps are larger than usual carrying him across the grounds in record timing. 

“You’re wasting your time. There’s nothing to be gained from exchanging words with a boar that has lost its mind.” Felix calmly interjects just in time for Byleth to regain her footing before she topples over her heels. What kind of idiot wore heels in battle? A part of him starts to reach out to steady her just like in battles. But he can feel the gaze of hundreds of pairs of eyes boring into the back of his neck and decides against it. Runs his hands through the strands of hair that have come loose. 

“Felix…” Gilbert the useless knight begins in warning.

A warning Felix chooses to ignore.

“This is war. Every one of us has lost someone we care for. But we all choose to suppress our anger and grief and go right on living. Do You know why?” Felix tosses the question over his shoulder ready for her answer.

“Because it’s pointless…” Byleth replies.

“That’s right. All the boar is accomplishing is stacking up more corpses.” 

Byleth doesn’t hear the rest of the conversation, or she does but none of the words make sense. She’s too busy examining the white fur lining Felix’s jacket. At some point Felix had moved and placed himself between her and Dimitri as if ready to absorb and redirect the scathing words.

“That’s enough Felix.” The stern familiarity of his father’s scolding tickles Felix’s ears and sends a rush of heat towards his face. Typical. Siding with the mad prince and pleading with a boar to deny its nature. 

“Let’s go Professor. I can’t stand this company any longer.” 

Felix sends one last glare back at his father before turning and pulling the woman after him across the camp. Byleth follows without a sound as she’s guided through the horde of soldiers all readying for the upcoming battle. When they arrive at his tent purposely pitched some distance away from the army Felix goes to pull a small chair out for her.

“Sit. And stay there. Don’t even think about wandering off.” His words are harsher than he’d intended but she’s used to that. With a light cough he vanishes into the tent to gather up his different supplies including bandages and tonics should the enemy be more proficient than believed.

“You shouldn’t let that boar speak to you that way.” 

“I know.” Low and monotonous. Just like the first few months at the academy when he and the rest of the Blue Lions wondered if there was something wrong with her. But now he can hear the hesitation. The slight dip of her lip as Byleth makes her own version of a frown. 

“My father is a damned fool. It’s not your job to rein in that thing.”

“How did you-” Byleth starts.

“Know? Father informed me about your midnight meeting.” Ever since his childhood Felix’s father had always been a good spirited man, always willing to share mugs of ale with his soldiers. Always saying something that shouldn’t be said.

“He said he wasn’t strong enough to scold Dimitri.”

“So he delegated the task to you.” He stops point blankly thoughts rushing back towards several instances he himself had demanded she do that very same thing. Felix curses the saints and hurries to pull on a new turtleneck forgoing the heavy jacket as they travel further and further south. 

“Damnit. I figure I should apologize.” In his mind eye he can see the slight tip of her head in confusion. A silent invitation for him to continue. 

“In the past I’ve made the same demands of you… Forgive me.” 

Goddess…was the south always this hot? He swallows a mouthful of stale air and claws at the material clinging to his neck which drips with perspiration. Unable to take it any longer he gathers up his two swords and ventures back outside to where Byleth dutifully sits playing with her knife. Something she seems to be doing a lot more lately.

“I don’t know what to do. I should have been there for him.” She confesses as Felix rolls up his sleeves.

He wants to gag. What is it with her and Dimitri? Like her entire world revolves around the prince to the point he became the sole focus of Byleth’s life. How anybody could live like that, to devote themselves to a creature who repeatedly cursed them and swore to use her like a weapon.

She… They all deserved better than throwing their lives away on a suicide mission. 

“You give yourself too much credit. There’s nothing any of us could have done.” 

Byleth hums. Felix was probably right. Loath as she was to admit it.

Around them is the all too familiar frantic sounds of an army readying itself for battle. Friends lying to remain in good spirits all the while knowing this could very well be the last laugh shared. 

“Professor…Dimitri-He’s too unstable to be around in battle right now…So when the fighting starts don’t go running after him. Stay near me.” 

There’s a silent offer to protect her even if she didn’t need it as Felix draws closer. In that moment Byleth swallows every smooth syllable the swordsman offers as he guides her hair out of the way. And each movement is gentler than the last, his voice most of all, like she’s fine china. Breakable and beautiful. 

“Okay.”

**Author's Note:**

> I looked it over a few times but i probably missed some stuff. I got inspired rewatching one of the cut scenes and well its my fanfiction and i'll do what i want. hope you enjoy? first published stuff in awhile. Im sorry.


End file.
